Caller One gets back in the swing

Never before has a horse brought such unusual-looking past performances to Mountaineer Racetrack - or to any track, for that matter.

Caller One, who figures as the horse to beat in the West Virginia Legislature Chairman's Cup - one of five $85,000 stakes on a sensational Sunday program at Mountaineer in Chester, W.Va. - not only has a $3.2 million bankroll but also has raced exclusively in the two-furlong Rocket Man at Calder in each of the last three years.

In fact, the last time that Caller One ran in any race other than the Rocket Man was in May 2002. Most recently based at Ellis Park in western Kentucky, Caller One, 9, will be seeking his first victory since he captured the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen for the second time in March 2002.

"He hates being on the farm," said James Chapman Sr., whose family owns Caller One. "He's just happier at the track. The Rocket Man was really just a prep race for this Sunday."

Caller One is one of nine older horses in the Chairman's Cup, a 4 1/2-furlong race carded as the second of the day.

Gaff favored despite long layoff

Speaking of going winless since the Golden Shaheen, Gaff will be a solid favorite in the $125,000 Harvey Arneault Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap (race 6) when he makes his third start since finishing fifth in that Dubai race on March 25.

With Shaun Bridgmohan to ride, Gaff will face six other older horses in the six-furlong Arneault. J Town, who recently set a track record at Ellis for 6 1/2 furlongs, and seasoned sprinters Wild Tale and P. Kerney figure among his strongest challengers.

Scherer seeks another one-two finish

The Chicago-based trainer Richie Scherer will be trying to pull off another win-place sweep with Radiant Avie and Rue des Reves, who will run as a heavily favored entry in the $125,000 West Virginia President's Breeders' Cup (race 5).

Radiant Avie, one of a handful of live mounts on the day for jockey Mark Guidry, led wire to wire at Canterbury Park in the July 15 Lady Canterbury BC to defeat Rue des Reves by two lengths.

* Hot Storm, a winner of six of her last eight starts and more than $675,000, appears to be the class of a full field in the $85,000 West Virginia Secretary of State

(race 3). Other logical contenders in the six-furlong race include Beautiful Bets and Career Oriented, both entered off stakes wins at Thistledown and Monmouth, respectively.

* Todd Pletcher will have the solid favorite in the $85,000 Mountaineer Juvenile (race 4) with Air Lord, one in the seemingly endless supply of promising young horses based in New York with the reigning two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer. Air Lord is one of 11 2-year-olds entered in the six-furlong Juvenile.

* The program begins with the $85,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies, a six-furlong race that figures to have Appealing Zophie and Change Up as favorites in a field of nine.

* The day ends with the $85,000 West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup, a one-mile turf race that could lift Senor Swinger past the $1 million mark with a victory. Senor Swinger, trained by Joe Orseno, may face his strongest challenges from Legal Control, Buckeye Buddy, or Touched by Madness.